The drawing
by EmEx
Summary: Complete oneshot. Marie Shimamura makes an interesting drawing. Third and final chapter added.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: In case you didn't know; none of us own anything of what we write about in here.

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**Title: The drawing**

By M-X

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"What a beautiful drawing Marie! What is it?"

The little girl turned around at the voice behind her, her shiny blond hair catching the sun rays entering the noisy classroom. She smiled in delight.

"It's my family, Miss Toya."

The young teacher looked perplexed at the childish sketch; she certainly wasn't expecting that answer. She knelt down next to the girl and took the piece of sheet in her hand, observing it carefully.

"Well, you sure have a big family dear. Would you like to explain it to me? What is this thing?" she asked, pointing at a weird human figure which head and feet appeared to be on fire. It looked like if it was flying.

Marie's smile got even wider as she jumped on her seat, her bright cinnamon eyes sparkled with excitement; her teacher liked her drawing! And on her first day at school! Mommy would be so happy!

"That's my uncle Jet, and that's me on his back, he lets me ride him and we fly very very fast! --Her voice raised in excitement, and then she lowered her tone and spoke on Miss Toya's ear; her hand covering her mouth-- but only when mommy isn't watching because she always gets mad at him, but it's hard, because she can watch aaall the time, --she whispered then-- and hear too."

"Really?" Miss Toya arched a black eyebrow and put the paper back on the table.

"Yep. And look! This is my uncle Pyunma."

She watched at what Marie was pointing, she could tell the girl would be very talented on plastic arts in the future, but right now she didn't use the right colors, just like most children.

"But Marie, why did you paint him in blue?"

"Because he is under the water, and he is catching a starfish for me, the other day he caught an eel! He was almost like three hours under the water, but I really wanted to see an eel so he didn't come up until he found one and he showed it to me and then he let it go!"

"Oh, is your uncle a diver?"

"No-o, he is a paramedic."

"But I guess he used some kind of equipment to breathe under water, why didn't you draw it?"

Marie frowned. "Why would he want that?"

Miss Toya sighed, children could be so naïve. "To breathe under water, of course."

The girl giggled and moved her head, as if her teacher had just said the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. "He doesn't need _that_, he can do it by himself!"

Obviously, this child had had just too many candies, and now her imagination was flying free.

"Oh! And that is my uncle Chang, he is a cook and he always makes Chinese cookies for me!"

The teacher looked at the drawing of a fat man with a big, rounded nose, which she found perfectly normal. What called her attention was the fire coming out of his mouth and the fact that he appeared to be burning a snake with very large eyes.

"And why is he breathing fire over that poor animal?"

"That's not an animal, that's uncle G.B. and uncle Chang is doing that because once, uncle G.B. ate all the food for dinner, but uncle Geronimo saved him, he threw this big rock and uncle Chang couldn't chase uncle G.B. any more because the way was blocked.

"Is that so? Is your uncle G.B. a snake?"

"Sometimes, sometimes he is a bird -- the girl shrugged her shoulders--. And that is uncle Geronimo"

Marie pointed his finger to a very tall smiling man.

"Uhm, he seems very strong Marie. Is that a house what he is holding?"

"Yeah! He can lift anything! Well… I've never seen him lift a house… But I bet he could!"

This girl apparently loved her uncles very much and she idealized them by giving them all kind of special abilities. Miss Toya thought she was a very sweet child.

"And what is coming out of this man's knee?"

"Ah, it's a rocket. He is my uncle Albert, he also has bullets in his fingers, see? I painted his metal hand, and that's Ivan."

There was a blue haired boy painted next to a man that seemed to be floating on air; they were standing over some stairs.

"Is he your brother?"

"Nop, I don't have brothers, but once I asked my mommy for a little sister and she said that maybe next year and daddy told her that they should start working on it then."

The woman couldn't stop a laugh, but obviously, she couldn't share the joke with the four years old girl.

"Alright, and what is Ivan doing?"

"He is carrying grandpa Isaac to the living room, he is very old, and he doesn't like to go down stairs very much, but daddy doesn't like me calling him old." She said, while she started adding some more gray hair to her grandpa Issac's beard, which was very large already.

"But Ivan seems to be just a boy, how does he carry your grandpa down the stairs?"

Little Marie rolled her eyes. Honestly, her teacher didn't seem to know many things. She answered in a singsong voice. "With his miiind."

"Oh yeah… I see. --she chuckled-- Alright Marie, it's a beautiful drawing, good job. Now I'll go check on your classmates, Ok?"

The teacher was about to leave but a little hand tugged at her clothes; she turned to see Marie's big brown eyes; they looked so beautiful altogether with her silky blond hair and her almost milky white skin. She was a lovely little girl indeed.

"Wait, Miss Toya. I haven't showed you the drawing I made of my parents!"

"You did another one? You are very fast young lady." She knelt down again. Marie then took a piece of paper out of her school bag and extended it over the table."

"Dad always hangs my drawings on the fridge." She commented with a smile.

Miss Toya looked at the drawing and puckered her brow. It was just a blur of red, brown and yellow lines --mostly red ones--, but the traces were not random; they all traveled from the right of the sheet to the left.

"Sweetie, what's that?"

Marie observed Miss Toya just staring at her masterpiece, but she could tell her teacher didn't understand it, she'd have to explain it for her again. She took a deep breath and spoke in a sort of indulgent tone.

"Look, here is my dad, but he is in his acceleration mode and he his running so very very fast that you can't see him, and he is carrying my mom, see? Here is her hair, it's just like mine!"

"Oh, now I understand. Forgive me Marie, how silly of me." Miss Toya smiled and patted the girl's head.

"You like it?"

"Of course sweetie, and I bet your mom and dad will like it very much too."

"Great! Thanks!"

Marie gave her a broad smile and then, taking a clean sheet, she started drawing again. Then Miss Toya thought she heard her humming what sounded like a Tchaikovsky theme.

She'd have to meet the parents of this unique girl one of these days.

She moved onto the next kid, but she doubted any one could make such a creative story as Marie's. Well, the child definitively had spark and a lot of imagination.

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I hope you liked it. I finished this in like half an hour heh heh (Gomen, I was bored at work and this idea just came to my mind) :P

Hey! I think I just posted the very first Childfic in here!

I thought of the name of Marie because Joe was raised as a catholic, and Francoise had her way and changed Mary for Marie :P

M-X with big shiny chibi eyes: Review please? -


	2. Explanations

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!

"He didn't and you're a liar!" The boy shouted from the bottom of his lungs, catching the attention of several other kids, who stopped their games for a second to observe the fighting pair, only to resume their activities after some moments.

Miss Toya looked up, but decided the situation wasn't alarming and went back to her chat with Hikari's mom; kids always seemed to quarrel over unimportant things.

The blonde haired girl gasped at the unfair adjective, her cheeks turned red, half from anger, half from shame, but she recovered her dignity and answered with a raised chin.

"I am _not_!"

"Hey, hey, what's going on here?"

Jet Link dismounted his Harley-Davison and headed towards the arguing children; a pair of beautiful cinnamon eyes sparkled at his sight.

"Uncle Jet!" The girl then turned to the boy and narrowed her eyes. "_Now_ you'll see!" she warned and ran to the recently arrived man.

"Uncle Jet, come here! Tell'im!" she pleaded.

"Woah! Easy Kiddo! Tell what?" Jet chuckled when her 'niece' started pulling at his hand with all the strength she possessed in her little body.

"About the story!"

Marie guided him to a black haired boy her age; for a moment the child just stood there, looking amazed at the imposing tall figure of Jet and his wild hair. But soon he reacted and replied with a smirk over his young features.

"That's your famous uncle Jet? I don't think he can fly!"

Jet frowned as he started understanding the situation. Marie kept tugging at his hand. "Of course he can and he'll show you!" She retorted and then added, "right uncle?"

The blond girl turned her expectant eyes to his favourite uncle; of course he would show him and that idiot Haku would regret ever calling her a liar.

Jet blinked, then looked from Marie to the boy with that hideous expression. How he would like to erase that smug look from the little face by doing what Marie was asking him to. But he couldn't.

Marie waited anxious for her uncle to speak, but he just closed his eyes and shook his head, his large fire coloured hair moving from one side to the other. He then turned around and started walking to his bike, dragging Marie along.

"Let's go kiddo, it's getting late."

"No uncle, wait! Tell him about your rocket legs and how you saved my dad back in space!" she said as she tried to resist his pull.

An annoying sing song was heard behind them. "Ha! I knew you were lying! Liar, liar!" and then a couple of small feet could be heard running off.

Marie freed herself from Jet's hold as her voice raised in anger. "Why didn't you tell him?"

Jet turned around and after a short sight he knelt in front of her. It was his joy pleasing every single wish of his little princess, and letting her down pained him greatly.

"Listen Kiddo, you can't go 'roundtelling everyone about us." He grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Why not?" she asked in genuine confusion.

"Because it's dangerous."

"Why?" her voice still reflected her resentment.

"Because… you know… we're not normal" Jet tried to explain the situation, but he got little success.

"We aren't?" she frowned, bewildered.

"Well… you are, but we are not."

"I don't understand you, uncle Jet!" She raised her arms in frustration, taking his hands off her.

"Ahg forget it! Just come here, I've to take you to your mom, it's getting late. Alright?"

Jet picked her up and sat her down on his bike, placing on her head the small helmet Joe had made him buy for her. Marie just puckered her brow.

"Listen Marie--" he started after climbing behind her.

"I don't wanna talk to you! I'm very very mad at you!" she interrupted him, crossing her arms across her chest. Jet knew her well enough to understand that, in that moment, any talk with her would be totally pointless.

"Whatever, you'll understand latter."

With those words, he started the engine and in a matter of seconds the bike was out of sight.

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"One more time girls, and remember; each movement should be done gracefully and smoothly, as though each individual step became one. Now, go back to fifth position."

"Hai." After the collective response, the stick started hitting the wooden floor again.

"One, two, three, four, --Ayame, your arms _en avante_."

A line of girls clothed in black leotards followed carefully the instructions of their young teacher, as well as the rhythm she was setting with her stick

"Tilt your head to the right, now to the left, very good, Hiromi, watch your _port de bras…_"

the class kept going with the basic exercise as Francoise watched them, pleased; this new class was advancing very fast, but a sudden noise distracted her from the dancing girls and made her turn her head around.

There she was, her little angel; her head was barely visible through the glass, as only her bright brown eyes could be seen over the wooden door. Jet was standing behind her, knocking at the door and waving at her to join them.

"Arisa, please, take over the class, I'll be back in some minutes."

"Hai Francoise-san." The assistant took the stick from Francoise's hand and resumed the counting.

Francoise placed a towel over her shoulders and walked to the door. The second she opened it, a blur of blond hair clutched onto her waist, burying her face in her stomach. The child then muffled something that sounded like; "Mommy-I-don't-love-my-uncle-Jet-anymore".

"Honey, what's going on? What did Jet do to you?" She asked as she stroked the little head and then turned her eyes to Jet, suspicious. He shrugged his shoulders innocently.

"I didn't do anything! What I wonder, in the other hand, is why haven't _you_ done something you should have," he defended himself and then whispered some words, not loud enough for Marie to catch, but there way no was Francoise would miss them, thanks to her enhanced hearing.

"Oh…" she nodded after understanding the situation. " I see, don't worry Jet, I'll take care of it."

"Yeah, no prob. See you later, okay Marie?" He placed a hand over her head, but the little girl would not respond.

"…Right, well, bye Fran, gotta go now, Kathy and Jimmy must me waiting for me already." Jet turned and headed to the exit.

"Okay, thanks for picking her from school."

"Whatever." He waved his hand, not bothering with turning around, but Francoise knew his manners too well to feel offended.

She turned her attention to her daughter, whose face was still firm against her stomach; she picked her up in her arms, resting her on her right hip, then she lifted the girl's chin until their eyes made contact.

Her big chocolate orbs reminded her so much of Joe's. Looking at them always brought a smile upon the French headmistress' face.

"What's wrong sunshine, how was your first school day?"

"It was okay…" The young girl gazed down as she started playing with the ribbon on her mother's golden hair.

"Is that so? Then why are you so upset?" Francoise started walking towards her office until she reached the door. After entering, she sat Marie over her desk and then took a seat in one of the chairs.

"That kid Haku called me a liar…" the girl answered in a low voice.

"And why did he do that?"

"Because he didn't believe me when I told him that uncle Jet could fly, or when I told him about the story when he saved my daddy from space."

Oh heavens.

Francoise lowered her head after listening at this, how careless they all had been. Marie had been living this strange life, surrounded by all these... peculiar people. Yet all of that was perfectly normal for her, as it was for all of them by now. They completely forgot to explain to her the difference between her family and the rest of the world. Big mistake. How did they miss that little detail before sending her child out into the real world?

"I see."

"And then I wanted to show him that I wasn't lying but uncle Jet didn't want to tell him. Why didn't he want to tell him maman? He said it was dangerous."

Francoise Arnoul-Shimamura took a deep breath as she tried to get an explanation, a reasonable one for a four years old child anyway. She knew this moment would arrive someday, but she had been trying to fool herself in thinking that they still had plenty of time before she had to deal with this situation, they all had.

'_Well honey, we were kidnapped by a criminal organisation who transformed us in living weapons to help them destroy the world'_ some how didn't sound like the best choice.

Marie touched her mother's arm after, for the girl, a really long silence.

"Maman, won't you tell me?"

Francoise took the girl in her arms and sat her on her lap as she started removing her shoes and socks.

"Well sweetie, uncle Jet told you that because we're special, I mean, your uncles and I."

"I'm special too, papa told me."

"Yes you are, because you make us very happy, but we're different, I mean, dad, your uncles and me."

"Why?" Marie raised her hands so her mother could take off her hello kitty shirt.

Francoise took a hand under her chin as she reflected in the answer. "Because… we do things that no one else can, like breathing under water like uncle Pyunma or transforming into things like uncle G.B."

"And no one else can see into one's thoughts like Ivan?"

"No one else." Answered the French cyborg and Marie looked down in reflection, frowning.

"And the other moms can't see through the walls like you?" The girl raised her eyebrows, as if such thing never had crossed her mind.

"Nope, just me." And Marie's skirt was off. Francoise put her daughter over her desk so she could start dressing her with her leotard.

"And why can't I do special things like you? If you and papa can, then why not me?" Marie tilted her head.

_Thanks God_, thought Francoise.

She had been deeply worried when she found herself to be pregnant. She never thought her body still held such possibility in the first place. And then she and Joe were so scared wondering what their child would turn like, if it would be damaged because of all the things that had been done to them… if it would suffer during its whole life because of what its parents were.

Then Marie was born, and she was perfect. She was normal.

"That's not completely true, you can do all those beautiful drawings and I bet you'll keep getting better, that's a special thing you do, your talent."

Yeah, that was it.

Francoise smiled, finding a way to explain thing to her girl. "The things we do are like your ability to draw; they're our talents. You see? But our… um… talents can't be shared with others like your drawings, because people might be afraid of them..." Next she started combing Marie's hair in order to make it into a ponytail.

"Why? I think they are great!"

"Ah… you'll see… people are afraid of what they don't understand and a person that can breathe fire, like uncle Chang might scare them a little. Don't you think? That's why we have to keep our talents a secret and I'm counting on you to help us with that. Okay? Can you do that for us sweetie?"

Francoise turned Marie toward her after her hair was done. The little white ribbon was the perfect final touch. But her child's face was set in worry.

"What's wrong?" said Francoise, touching her cheek.

"I'm sorry maman, I already told someone."

_Don't panic. It can't be that bad. We can always say it is a child's fantasy_. Francoise tried to reassure herself.

"Who, sweetie? Who did you tell?"

"My teacher, Miss Toya, I showed her my drawing and I told her all your talents, she said it was very nice. Did I do wrong? Now people are gonna be afraid of you mommy?" Marie was now at the verge of tears.

Francoise crushed her to her chest, caressing her little head. "No no, it's alright honey, don't worry, surely Miss Toya thought you were only playing a game, it's alright baby, I'm not mad at you."

"Really?" her cinnamon eyes looked at her, hopeful.

"Really." Francoise smiled. "But remember, no more telling about it. Agreed?"

"Ok."

"Well now, we better get you into your _pointe_ shoes, or you'll be late for your ballet class."

Francoise started tying the laces around Marie's ankles when the girl sent yet another question.

And why can you all do those things? Why no one else can?"

The woman sighed. There was not easy answer to that.

"I… I can't really explain it to you now, Marie, you wouldn't understand, but I promise someday we'll tell you, when you're old enough."

"Promise?" the child smiled.

"Promise. And you know what? The person that will explain it to you is about to enter through the door."

Marie turned her eyes to the entrance and seconds later, Joe Shimamura opened the door, the girl's face lit up with a smile as she ran to him and he scooped her up.

"Papa!"

"Here are my two girls! Hello sunshine! How was school?" he said, kissing the cheek of his daughter.

"More or less, but I'm better now."

"How come?"

"We'll tell you all about it over dinner, alright? Marie's already late for her class," said Francoise, walking to her husband and placing a peck on his confused face.

"Okay…" he lowered Marie to the floor.

"But maman told me you are going to tell me, when I grow up, why you have special talents that no one must know about, okay daddy?"

"Wha--?"

"I'm going to my class now, bye daddy! Bye mommy!"

Marie ran out of the room, her little tutu bouncing up and down with every step. Joe looked at hischild and then to hiswife, who gave himthe utmost innocent look.

"What was that about? And why the one to tell her about that is _me_?" he asked.

She smiled mischievously. "What? I'll explain to her where do babies come from and you get to tell her why her parents are cyborgs. I think you've got an excellent deal."

"Hey! That's not fair? Don't I get a say on this?"

"Not really."

"In that case, you have to compensate me over this, you mean woman." He pretended to sound hurt, then he put his arms around her and started nibbling her ear.

"Too bad I have to return to class, you know, it would look real bad if the owner of the school skipped her responsibilities but… get Marie to sleep early tonight and we'll see," she blinked and took his arms from her.

Joe could only smile.

* * *

Next: Miss Toya meets the Cyborgs.

* * *

Well. After a really _long_ time, I got enough inspiration to add a couple of scenes to this one-shot. Hope you liked it. Let me know. 

And everyone say 'thank you' to GoldAngel2, who is once again, beta-reading me. Believe me, if not for her, you wouldn't be reading this.


	3. The meeting

Toya Midori brought her car to a halt in front of the only house around. After checking the address to verify she was in the correct place, she turned off the engine and descended her green Toyota.

Well, it seemed that beautiful beach house was the home of the Shimamura.

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006 scratched his head, confused. But if he only had turned away for a second! Where had all his strawberries gone? He looked under the table, maybe he dropped them but… nope, they weren't anywhere. When he looked up again, not only the strawberries were missing but the sweet, hot, fluffy cranberry muffins he had just baked for breakfast were gone as well!

What the hell was going on?

He saw a glimpse of grey through the corner of his eye and felt a rush of air. When Chang looked back at the table, his chocolate cookies had also vanished! Those were for Marie!

A mocking laughter reached his ears.

007…

006 grabbed a pan and started looking around, moving his kitchen utensils aside. Small paws could be heard running from one side to another.

"Alright baldy! Come out come out, wherever you are! I'm gonna get my hands on you and you're not gonna like it!"

And then, there he was, a small grey mouse with big eyes, hiding behind the flour bin. Chang snickered and raised the pan.

"You'll learn to leave my cooking alone once and for all!" he shouted and the pan went down, but the mouse was faster and dodged the hit and instead, 006 knocked the flour bin, sending the light powder flying all over his beloved kitchen and covering in it a fine layer of white.

"Hah hah hah!" A second later, 007 transformed in his human form and started laughing at his teammate's misfortune.

"Just look at you! You look like a giant marshmallow man! Hah hah!" He clutched his belly.

"007… you miserable failure of an actor!" 006 narrowed his eyes while his lower lip quivered dangerously. He had had enough.

"Wha--? Ahhg!" G.B. barely avoided the gust of fire that, if he wasn't already bald, would have burned his hair whole.

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"Um?" 003 looked up from her reading; she heard an engine outside the house. She looked toward the source of the sound and saw, using her x-ray vision, that a young woman was now walking toward the entrance of the house. Who could she possibly be and what would she want at 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning?

"Joe." she called to his husband, who wouldn't separate his eyes from his Need for Speed videogame.

"Joe?" she called again. Honestly, didn't he ever get tired of cars? Wasn't it enough that, for a job, he already drove a racing car and was a top ten racer in the world? Men were such kids.

"Papa, maman is talking to you." Marie, who was sitting next to him, watching him play, tugged at his jacket.

"Huh?" he half turned to see her, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"There's a woman walking to the front door, I don't know who she is. We should go and check," 003 informed him.

"Yeah… right… just let me finish this lap."

003 rolled her eyes and left her book down. "Forget it, I'll go check myself."

"Yeah… bring me one too…"

If 003 rolled her eyes once more, they would fall right out of their sockets.

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"I'll make you roast beef!"

"Calm down! Ah! Enough with the fire! Chaaaang!" 007 ran for his dear life as 006 chased him out the kitchen and out to the back yard.

The British, and possibly, soon to be roasted, man, transformed himself into a pelican in order to escape by air, and in that same shape, turned around the corner of the house. 005 was at the garage. He could save him from the cook's ire!

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Toya reached the porch and was about to knock on the door when something caught her attention; it was a man, a very big one, with a Mohawk and red skin. His appearance was highly unusual, but that was not what made her freeze on the spot.

Apparently, he hadn't seen her, too busy moving a car out the way in order to, probably, pull his own vehicle from the packed garage. The thing was, he wasn't driving said car but lifting it with a single hand, with no more effort than if he were lifting a bicycle.

Was she dreaming? She rubbed her eyes, incredulous, and gave a step to the front, trying to get a closer look, but a sudden noise made her turn back.

"Come back here! You little—!"

"Ahhhg! Leave me alone! Geronimoooooo!"

The teacher opened wide her eyes when she saw a huge pelican coming at her, who she thought to have heard talking and who, apparently, was escaping from a man throwing fire at him… from his mouth.

"What is th--?" But she never got time to complete the sentence.

007 turned his head to see where he was going and saw that he was about two nanoseconds to collide against a petite black haired woman standing on the porch.

"Watch out!" he screamed and then tried as hard as he could to avoid her, manoeuvring to the right and indeed, he didn't crash against her. Instead, he left the way free between her and Chang's fire.

Oops.

Toya barely opened her mouth, hypnotized by the bright ball of fire coming toward her.

And then, earth disappeared beneath her feet. As in slow motion, she saw the ball of fire charring to ashes the very spot where she had been standing, then she turned up to see a man with a big mane of red hair holding her in his arms. Amazed, she looked down again and distinguished, perplexed, their shadow silhouetted on the ground. Of course… that often happened when one was floating in the middle of the air.

_What?_

"Ahhhhhhh!" She screamed and clutched to her rescuer, only to start hitting him on the chest with her fists a second after, not sure if to be grateful or afraid.

"Hey hey! Calm down! I saved you, you know?" said the man and then he landed, releasing her.

007 flew to them and transformed to his own self, worry apparent on his face.

"Miss, are you hurt? He asked. 006 stood next to him, playing nervously with his chef hat. 005 had noticed the whole mess as well and had joined them by now, but he had forgotten to leave the car behind, carrying it with him.

Toya gave a couple of steps back and fell on her butt, looking at them all with her eyes almost out of her eye sockets.

"What happened here?" She heard someone saying and then turned around to see a blond woman walking to them. She seemed pretty angry. _She must be Marie's mother_, Toya half thought within her bewilderment.

"This couple of idiots, what else? They almost burned this girl alive!" answered 002 while pointing at G.B. and Chang, who only looked away with their hands behind their backs. They almost whistled, 003 could swear.

"She's not a cyborg or anything by any chance, is she?" 002 then added and tightened his eyelids.

003 checked the woman lying on the floor and moved her head negatively, then she offered her hand to her in order to help her up. In that moment, Geronimo remembered he was still carrying the car and let it down very slowly, as if by doing so, the woman wouldn't notice what he was doing.

"Are you alright?" 003 asked.

"I… I… don't think so…" Toya Midori started to see the edges of her vision darkening and blurring and she felt her head spinning wildly. Then she knew nothing else.

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They were all reunited in the living room, looking with concern at the woman sitting on the couch, holding a shaking cup of valium tea and eyeing the five persons around her with alarm.

"Feeling better already?" asked 003. The unfortunate guest looked at her and then pointed at 007 with an unsteady hand.

"H-how can I? He—he was a bird! And y-you can fly!" she pointed now to 002, who was leaning on the entrance, arms crossed.

"Yeah yeah, I did, and the chubby one threw fire at you, but s'alright, we're not going to hurt you so stop being so nervous."

Toya opened her mouth with indignation. How rude! For a second she forgot her fear and was about to reprimand him when a little voice made her turn around.

"Miss Toya!"

Marie came down the stairs, accompanied by a tall, chestnut haired man. The child gave her a broad smile and ran to hug her. The cyborgs were now officially confused.

"What's going on? We were upstairs playing and heard all the noise, so we came down to see," 009 said and found several pairs of eyes looking in his direction with desires to strangle him, probably.

"This young lady here had an unlucky encounter with us… we almost burned her alive…" answered G.B. while he massaged his shoulder, nervously.

But Marie was unaware of the tension present in the room. "You came to visit me?" she asked innocently. Toya nodded and tried to smile at the young girl.

"Ah look! This is my maman and my papa and uncle Chang and Uncle Jet and Uncle G.B. and uncle Geronimo. Everybody, this is Miss Toya, my teacher." Marie pointed to them as she introduced them to her teacher, but remembered suddenly that her mother had told her repeatedly that pointing was rude and lowered her arm.

"You… you're Marie's teacher?" asked 009. The woman nodded, nervously. 009 and 003 looked at each other, agape. This was their daughter's teacher? And their comrades had just done something surely, very, very stupid in front of her?

"Uh-oh," uttered Chang, apparently understanding how bad this matter could turn.

Toya lowered her cup to the coffee table and took a deep breath. She still didn't comprehend what had just happened out there but if this was Marie´s family, then there had to be an explanation… Funny, the situation remembered her of that drawing.

Toya gulped; suddenly she started to realize that Marie's drawing was not made out of pure imagination, after all.

"Miss Toya… right? We're sorry that this all happened, please, we apologize for anything that these three put you through," 009 said and sat in front of her, jerking his head toward 002, 006 and 007.

Chang and G.B. lowered their heads but Jet snapped at once, "What? I didn't put her through anything! I saved her ass! If not for me we'd have _teacher a la barbeque_!"

"And did you had to fly? Couldn't you just accelerate to get her of the way?" 009 answered. Marie, still next to her teacher, looked at the scene with a frown. Her dad and uncle almost never argued.

"I didn't have anytime to react! I did what came first to my mind! Any way, it's not like I made the situation worst! What else could she think after seeing a giant bird and a fire breathing man? Huh? Besides, what's she doing here?"

Now Jet turned to Toya. "What are you doing here?"

"Jet!" 003 tried to make him stop talking.

The woman frowned, upset. She had not come to receive this kind of treatment; being about to be run over then burned and tossed around in the air was not her idea of a visit to a student's home!

"_I_ came here to speak to Marie's parents, not to be treated this way!"

"Talk to Marie's parents? On _Sunday_? Who are you trying to kid?" 002 retorted.

Toya stood up, puffing with indignation. "This isn't a joke! I'm here because there's an important issue I have to talk with Mr and Ms, Shimamura and I'm here on Sunday because it's my only free day!"

"Jet! That's enough!" 003 yelled this time. 002 sulked but complied, again crossing his arms, what indicated he would try to behave.

"Miss Toya, but why didn't you send us a request for an interview or a notification before coming all the way here?" 009 asked, as Marie left her teacher's side and ran to her mom, asking her why they were so upset. 003 just stroked her head and asked her to keep quiet for a moment.

"I did! On three occasions, but I never received an answer! And you don't have a phone!" said the teacher, defensively.

003 turned to her daughter. "Marie, did Miss Toya give you a paper to give to us?"

Marie rolled her eyes up, trying to remember, then her little face lit up when she gave with the answer. "Oh yeah, she told me to give them to a responsible adult."

"And what did you do with them, sweetie?"

"I gave them to uncle G.B." Marie smiled and pointed to the retreating English cyborg, whom had almost tiptoed his way out the living room.

"Great Britain!" shouted 009 and 007 put his hands up.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry, I forgot about them and besides you know I speak Japanese but I don't read Kanji, for Shakespeare's sake!"

"This is stupid! I'm out of here! I'm returning to the States tomorrow and Kathy and Jimmy still haven't seen half of what I wanted to show them!" Jet shouted. He lived now in New York, with Kathy and her son, and was only visiting his cyborgs family for a short time.

003 put a hand on her temper and sighed. "Listen Jet, would you mind taking Marie with you?"

"And everyone else, please. Could you step out? Françoise and I want to speak with Miss Toya, alone," 009 added.

There was a pregnant pause.

"Yeah sure, come on kiddo. Wanna play with Jimmy?" said Jet finally. Marie's smile broadened and after kissing her parents and her teacher, ran to her 'most favourite' uncle, clasping his hand.

"And I… um, have to go and clean the kitchen. Great Britain, _care _to help me?" said 006. 007 was smart enough to not complain and followed the Chinese man head lowered and with not a word.

"I was heading off to the grocery store any way. Miss, glad to meet you and we are deeply sorry for scaring you," 005 apologized.

A moment later, several doors closed and Toya Midori was left alone with Marie's parents.

"We are really sorry for all of this, I guess we should introduce ourselves properly now, I'm Joe Shimamura and this is my wife, Françoise." 009 rose from his seat and bowed to the teacher, 003 did the same. Toya responded the salute, but she was still shaking a little.

"N-nice to meet you I think but… I'm sorry if I'm rude but I have to know. What the hell did just happen outside? How's that those men were capable of doing such things? What's going on here, Mrs. Shimamura?" Toya blunted and blushed, not used to speak in such manner to anyone, especially not to a student's parents.

003 and 009 looked at each other and sighed.

"We understand that you're confused or even frightened, but please, believe me. We're not dangerous, we all—"

"Not dangerous? I was almost burned alive out there!" Toya interrupted 009's speech, raising her arms and pointing to the yard. Then she continued, "Once, Marie showed me a drawing where she described her entire family having all kind of weird supernatural powers, at first I thought she was only imagining it all but … but… I'm starting to fear it wasn't that way. Are you all some kind of super powered humans or something?"

009 closed his eyes and tried to think of something but his mind was a blank. What could he do? What could he say? But, his wife took the decision from him.

"Yes, Miss Toya, we are."

Toya blinked, not really expecting such a straight declaration. "And… and, Marie's like you? What does she do? Is she a danger for the other kids? What if she hurts them by accident? You should have told me something like this before sending her to school!" the teacher shouted, still shocked at the news.

"Please, calm down, we beg you. Marie's just as normal as any kid her age. She possesses no special abilities but perhaps, her talent to draw, that's it… You can trust us on that," 003 assured with a hurt tone in her voice. She just couldn't bear for her little angel to be targeted as a freak because of them. She felt like punching the good teacher, and knew her husband had similar feelings, but still, they understood Ms. Toya's worries.

Toya put a hand on her face and sighed. She hadn't really meant to say those things, she was just nervous, and now she was deeply ashamed as well. "I'm… I'm sorry… I was discourteous toward you and your daughter in your own house. It wasn't my intention, it's just that I'm very confused. I don't understand how you can do all those things."

009 met 003's eyes and she nodded, indicating her support.

Joe took a deep breath and looked at the woman eye to eye. "I'll give you the short story, some time ago, the persons you saw here, Françoise and I were subjects of several tests of an organization. As result of such tests we developed certain abilities, but these changes we suffered were made at a physical level, not at a genetic one, that's why Marie´s as normal as any other child."

Toya shook her head, trying to process the information she just had received. "Then, if I recall correctly, you are able to run at high speed and you can see through walls, I think," she said to the cyborg parents and they nodded.

"Oh dear… I still can't believe it."

"But as we said earlier, you have no reason to fear us, in any sense, we're not dangerous to you. We keep our powers in deep secret and I can assure you that Chang won't go to roast you if you give a low grade to Marie," Françoise joked and surprisingly, it did bring a little smile from the woman.

"Really? Well… I should feel relieved then." Toya massaged her nape as she said this and then gave a nervous laugh. "I guess you're interesting people to meet, after all. I'm sorry I had to stumble onto your private lives this way."

"Not to worry. We're glad nothing too serious happened today. So why did you say you came here in the first place?" asked 009.

Toya raised her hand to her forehead. "Oh yeah! I had absolutely forgotten! Well, the school board saw Marie's drawings and the want to put her in a special class for gifted kids to develop her talent. We only need your approval."

"I think Marie will love that," 003 smiled.

"Yeah, it's fine by us."

"It's done… then… I… I… feel a little dizzy" Toya took a hand to her eyes while her face wrinkled in a confused gesture. 003 and 009 watched her patiently, trying to look as relaxed as possible.

"What was I saying? H-how did I ge—I… Mrs. Shimamura?" Toya looked at the young couple sitting across her.

"Do you feel alright, Miss Toya?" asked 009.

"I'm not sure… I don't remember wha—"

"You were saying us that Marie will join a class for gifted children in order to improve her drawing abilities. We said it would be alright." 003 filled her in.

"Oh… oh yeah, that's why I came here. Where's the little angel by the way?" Toya still appeared to be confused and her eyes would seem unfocused all the sudden.

"She's off with her uncle Jet." 009 Informed her.

"Oh right, she's told me about him… I would have liked to meet him. Well, Mr Shimamura, Mrs. Shimamura, I won't take more of your Sunday time, sorry if I caused you any bother."

"Not at all Miss Toya, it was a pleasure having you here." 003 said and rose to her feet. 009 did the same.

Miss Toya rose as well and regarded the cup of tea on the table. Had she been drinking it? She really couldn't remember for her dear life. Also she hardly remembered getting of her car. Kami, she was working too hard, maybe she should ask for some time off…

009 accompanied their guest to the door and stayed there, waving at her until her car disappeared down the road. After that he returned to the living room and sat next to 003, only then, they let go of the collective breath they had been holding.

A young blue haired boy about seven years old came floating down the stairs. No matter if he could walk, he would always prefer to levitate.

"Thanks Ivan, you really saved us from this one," said 009 with a relieved tone.

It was not a problem, though you ought to be much more careful now, a memory can be modified only a number of times and I'd hate to cause poor Miss Toya a permanent brain damage, 001 said.

"Ivan, when are you going to use your mouth to speak?" asked 003, smiling to the child who she had taken care of since he was a baby.

The boy decided to please her and voiced, "Why? It's much easier this way, I can chew and speak at the same time, it's fun," he smiled to them and ran upstairs again.

"Well, that was close…" said 009 in a tired voice.

"Nothing of this would have happened if you hadn't been so engrossed with that stupid game!" 003 reproached, shaking her finger furiously.

"Hey! It isn't stupid! It's incredibly hard to drive that damn car in the snow pit! I can't pass that level!"

003 stood up and stomped her hoot. "That's it! I had enough of that game! I can stand hearing all those damned components working day and night while you play! I even can _tolerate_ you not listening to me when I speak to you but that's all I can stand! You're about to change 'Need for Speed' for 'Need for a new PS2'!" And 003 dashed upstairs.

009 stayed there, sitting, trying to decipher what his wife had just meant. Then it hit him.

"Fran! Don't you dare touch my Play Station!" and he ran after her

End

* * *

Well, it was very funny to do this three parts one-shot. I hope you had as much fun with this as I did. Leave comments, please. 

I also love imaging 001 grown up! I'd hate to think he will remain a baby forever.

Again, my gratitude goes to GoldAngel2. One of the most committed beta-readers I've met.


End file.
